Many Changes for Campus May/June 2017

May/June 2017

Woodside High School Newsletter www.woodsidehs.org

May/June Events For a full listing of Woodside High Many Changes for Campus events, visit the website at www.woodsidehs.org/-calendar/. Dear Woodside Families: Wednesday, May 3 Singer David Bowie has a song that goes “Ch, ch, Music Booster Meeting changes!” And cartoon character Bob the Builder From Principal 7 pm, Band Rm. has a song about digging and nailing. Both are Diane Burbank Friday, May 5 appropriate for the action on campus this spring. Deadline for 6/6 SAT Registration and J WING completion: The ten-class room, two-story classroom building will be open for instruction in the Deadline for 6/10 ACT Registration fall. The addition of another bus circle on the Alameda entrance has prompted the closing of that entrance for Saturday, May 6 SAT Reasoning & Subject Tests the remainder of this school year and the summer, and and it will re-open in the fall. I am excited for the new WHS Band at Woodside Day building opening because of the increased opportunities Parade for our students! and OTHER PROJECTS: Improved quad landscaping, renovated school kitchen, Dance Show upgraded confidential counseling offices, softball field practice lighting, pool 2 pm, PAC 8 pm, PAC lighting, tiling in the A-wing, renovated culinary/foods rooms, new gym floor re-finishing and new water pipes to Sunday, May 7 the upper wings mean that campus will be mostly closed for ABO Gold Tournament Moffett Field Golf Course, the entire summer with limited parking. WHS summer Sunnyvale school will be held on Sequoia campus except for the Check-in time: 11 am transition to high school programs such as Compass, ALearn, Start time: 12 pm and summer math acceleration; those transition classes will be held on campus in Monday, May 8 E-wing SSC/SDMC 4 –6 pm, MUR Conf. Rm. THIS YEAR IS CAPPED OFF – literally – with the orange and and white mortar boards and tassels for the Class of 2017! PTSA Meeting The big event is Friday, June 9, 2017, at 10 am. I appreciate 7 pm, MUR Conf, Rm. the live band playing Pomp and Circumstance to march the Tuesday, May 9 seniors in. We will seat BOTH sides of Bradley Field (home WHS Foundation Meeting and away bleachers) and 7 p.m., MUR Conf. Rm. parking will be limited (no behind the new gym Adentro encontrara Thursday, May 11 parking and no softball or baseball field parking). traducción al español Music Dept. Concert Stay tuned for information shared on our website, las noticias de la ad- 7 pm, PAC School Loop, the weekly PTSA parent e-mail ministración de WHS Saturday, May 13 blast, and with seniors themselves for up-to-date Athletic Boosters Golf Tourney info about seating for the best viewing of your graduate and for parking. Wednesday, May 17 Athletic Boosters It’s been another wild year to be a Wildcat! 7 pm, MUR Conf. Rm. Your principal, (Continued on page 2) Diane Burbank

Communicat is published as a courtesy of the Woodside High School Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA)

(Continued from page 1) Muchos Cambios en La Escuela Tuesday, May 18 Spring Sports Awards Night Estimadas Familias de Woodside: 7 pm, PAC El cantante David Bowie tiene una canción From Principal Saturday, May 20 que dice “Ch, ch, changes!” Y el personaje WHS Band at San Carlos Parade Diane Burbank Monday, May 22 de la caricatura de Bob the Builder tiene una SSC/SDMC canción acerca de clavar y escavar. Ambas 4-6 pm, MUR Conf. Rm. son apropiadas para las obras de la escuela en esta primavera. Tuesday, May 23 Drama II Production Finalización del ALA J: Los diez salones de 7 pm, PAC clase, el edificio de dos plantas será abierto para Wednesday, May 24 la enseñanza en el otoño. Agregar otro círculo Drama Boosters Meeting para el autobús por la entrada de Alameda 7 pm, Wildcat Room provocó el cierre de esta por el resto del año Thursday, May 25 escolar y el verano, y será reabierta en el otoño. Academy Graduation Estoy muy emocionada con la apertura del nuevo edificio debido a que 7 pm. PAC incrementa las oportunidades para nuestros estudiantes! Friday, May 26 OTROS PROYECTOS: Mejoramiento del diseño de los jardines del Music Dept. Awards 7 pm patio central, renovación de la cocina de la escuela, modernización de las oficinas de consejería confidencial, iluminación del campo de Monday, May 29 Memorial Day softball para prácticas, iluminación de la alberca, instalación de azulejo No School en el ala -A, renovación del área de los cuartos de comida, retoque del May 30—June 2 piso del gimnasio nuevo y tuberías de agua nuevas para las alas de Study Week arriba ocasionando que la escuela en su mayoría June 5—June 8 estará cerrada durante todo el verano con Finals estacionamiento limitado. La escuela de verano de Friday, June 2 WHS se llevará a cabo en la escuela de Sequoia Last Day to complete Cyber High con excepción de los programas de transición a APEX high school como Compass, ALearn y Summer Tuesday, June 6 Math Acceleration; esas clases de transición se Staff Appreciation Luncheon llevarán a cabo en el ala-E de la escuela Wednesday, June 7 ESTE ANO ES RECORTADO – literalmente – con Awards Night las tablas de mortero y borlas naranja y blanco para 7 pm, PAC la Clase del 2017! El Gran evento es el viernes, 9 and de junio, 2017, a las 10 am. Agradezco a la banda Senior Clearance Slip due in Guidance tocando en vivo Pomp and Circumstance durante el Thursday, June 8 desfile de los del 12o. Nos sentaremos a AMBOS Senior Graduation Practice lados del Campo Bradley (casa y fuera de las gradas) el Textbooks due estacionamiento será limitado (no habrá estacionamiento atrás del Friday, June 9 gimnasio nuevo, y no en el campo de softball o baseball ). Permanezca 2017Graduation 10 am, Football Field buscando la información que compartiremos en nuestro website, School Loop, en el boletín semanal de PTSA e-mail blast, y con los del 12o Saturday, June 3 SAT Reasoning & Subject Tests grado para la actualización de la información acerca de los lugares para sentarse y tener la mejor vista de su graduado y para el Saturday, June 10 estacionamiento. ACT Test Ha sido otro año salvaje ser un Gato Salvaje (Wildcat)! Monday. June 19 Summer School begins Su directora, Diane Burbank

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2017-18 WHS Student Course Request - Information Confidence to Take Action-setting goals and taking the steps you need to reach them The Woodside High School Guidance Department has completed the process of From Instructional registering students for the 2017-18 school year. In an attempt to personalize this process, Vice Principal all students had an opportunity to meet individually with their counselor to discuss course Diane Mazzei choices. You will have access to view your student’s course requests on the infinite campus parent portal when the online registration process opens on Monday, May 1, 2017 and concludes on Friday, May 19, 2017. All requests to change courses must be submitted through the online check-in process. All students in grades 9-11 must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 five-unit courses, at all times during the academic school year. (TAs and Student Clerks classes do not count in the 6 course minimum). All 12th grade students must be enrolled in a minimum of 5 five unit courses (6 is preferred) at all times during the academic school year. (TAs and Student Clerks courses do not count in the 5 course minimum) AS and AP Courses: Students enrolled in AS/AP courses have until Thursday, June 8, 2017 to notify their guidance counselor in writing of any request to drop an AS/AP course. After, Thursday, June 8, 2017, requests to drop an AS/AP course will not be considered until Friday, December 15, 2017, the end of the first semester. Summer School Pre-registration for summer school courses are included on the student course request form. Students are expected to attend summer school to make up any graduation requirements they have failed. If summer school classes are successfully completed, your child’s fall schedule will be automatically adjusted. Please note that “D” grades do not count for four-year colleges. Math, science and world language classes are based on sequential learning. If students earn a D, F, NA or FA grade, they need to repeat the class before moving on to the next level. Students are determined eligible by district set criteria. Wildcats in the News! WHS students who will receive recognition in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program in the fall: Gregory Barth Allison Bhavsar Christian Canellos Evan Farrar Hope Farrar Sean Jau Mollie Kraus Bruce Kubicka Levi Rutherford Stefan Sujansky Laurel Woods Pearl Zhou

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Información- de la Solicitud de Cursos del Estudiante de WHS 2017-18 Sub Directora de Confianza para Tomar Acción-estableciendo metas y dar los pasos necesarios para alcanzarlas Instruccion El Departamento de Consejería de Woodside High School ha completado el proceso de Diane Mazzei inscripción de los estudiantes para el año escolar 2017-18. En un intento por personalizar este proceso, todos los estudiantes tuvieron la oportunidad de reunirse individualmente con sus consejeros para discutir la elección de sus clases. Y usted tendrá acceso para ver las clases que su estudiante solicitó en el portal para padres de infinite campus cuando habra el proceso de inscripción el lunes, 1o de mayo, 2017 y concluye el viernes, 19 de mayo, 2017. Todas las solicitudes para cambiar clases deben ser enviadas en línea (online check-in). Todos los estudiantes de los grados 9-11 deben estar inscritos en un mínimo de 6 clases de cinco-unidades, en todo momento durante el año escolar académico. (TAs y Asistente de Oficina no cuentan dentro del mínimo de 6 clases). Todos los estudiantes del grado12 deben estar inscritos en un mínimo de cinco clases de 5 unidades (6 es preferible) en todo momento durante el año escolar académico. (TAs y Asistente de Oficina no cuentan dentro del mínimo de 5 clases) Las Clases AS y AP (Posición Avanzada y Honores): Estudiantes inscritos en clases AS/AP tienen hasta el viernes, 3 de junio, 2017 para notificar a su consejero por escrito cualquier solicitud para darse de baja de una clase AS/AP. Después del jueves, 8 de junio, 2017, solicitudes para dares de baja de una clase AS/AP no serán tomadas en cuenta hasta el viernes 15 de diciembre, 2017, al finalizar el primer semestre. Escuela de Verano La pre-inscripción para las clases de la escuela de verano está incluida en la hoja de solicitud de clases del estudiante. Se espera que los estudiantes asistan a la escuela de verano para repetir cualquier clase que reprobaron y que es requisito para graduarse. Si las clases de verano son completadas exitosamente, el horario de otoño de su hijo será ajustado automáticamente. Tome en cuenta que la calificación “D” no cuenta para las Universidades de cuatro años. Matemáticas, ciencia y las clases de idiomas están basadas en un aprendizaje secuencial. Si los estudiantes obtienen una calificación de D, F, NA o FA, necesitan repetir la clase antes de continuar al siguiente nivel. El distrito establece el criterio de elegibilidad de los estudiantes. Los Gatos Salvajes en las Noticias! Estudiantes de WHS que recibirán reconocimiento en el Programa Nacional de Becas al Mérito en el otoño del 2018: Gregory Barth Allison Bhavsar Christian Canellos Evan Farrar Hope Farrar Sean Jau Mollie Kraus Bruce Kubicka Levi Rutherford Stefan Sujansky Laurel Woods Pearl Zhou

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End of Year Recognitions and Reconocimientos de Fin de Summer Planning Año y Planeación de Verano Awards Night: Noche de Premiación: Woodside’s Awards Night is Wednesday, La Noche de Premia- June 7 at 7:00pm in the Performing Arts ción de Woodside es el Center (PAC). This is a very special evening From the College miércoles, 7 de junio a to honor both juniors and & Career Center las 7:00pm en el Teatro seniors. Please join the Del Centro College (Performing Arts Cen- administration and staff and Carrer ter). Esta es una noche muy especial para hon- as we recognize our stu- Zorina Matavulj rar estudiantes del 11o y 12o grados. Por dents’ achievements and College & Career favor únete a la administración y al personal announce scholarships. Advisor ya que reconocemos los éxitos de nuestros Afterwards, be sure to Consegera de estudiantes y anunciamos las becas. Des- stay for music and dessert. Students who College and Career pués, asegúrate de quedarte para la música y will be recognized will receive an invitation. [email protected] postres. Los estudiantes quienes serán reco- Hope to see you there. 650-367-9750 x40039 nocidos recibirán una invitación. Espero verte ahí. Juniors: Estudiantes del 11o grado: Have fun this summer. Relax. Enjoy the break Disfruten este verano. Relájense. Disfruten del from school. But keep your eyes on the prize. descanso de la escuela. Pero mantengan sus ojos Find something meaningful like a job, an intern- en el premio. Encuentren algo útil como un tra- ship, a pre-college program, or a community col- bajo, un intercambio, un programa previo a la lege class. Also, doing a little bit of college appli- universidad o clases en el colegio comunitario. cation work over the summer can really make the También, dar una pequeña probada a la solicitud first semester of senior year a lot less stressful. de la universidad durante el verano puede real- The Common App and the University of California ap- mente hacer menos estresante el primer semestre del 12º plication open August 1. grado. El common App y la solicitud de la Universidad de California abren el 1º de agosto. Most importantly, research, research, Más importante, investigar, investigar, research. Check out lots of different investigar. Echa un vistazo a diferentes schools on Naviance or Big Future on escuelas en Naviance o Big Future en www.collegeboard.com. Maybe jump www.collegeboard.com. Quizá subirte on a plane or take a road trip to a few en un avión o viajar por carretera a that really catch your interest. Make a donde algo capture tu atención. Hacer serious list and be sure it spans the una lista seria y estar seguro de que spectrum (UCs, CSUs, California pri- abarcas todo el espectro (UCs, CSUs, vate colleges and out-of-state universidades privadas de California y schools). And if you’re truly motivat- escuelas fuera del estado).Y si estas verdaderamente motivado, empieza con ed, get started on the first drafts of el primer borrador de tu declaración your personal statements. For Class of personal. Para los estudiantes de la Cla- 2018 students and families, next se 2018 y familias, el próximo año esco- school year, the College Center will lar, el Centro de Universidades abrirá a mediados de be open in mid August In late August, there will be one agosto. A finales de agosto, habrá una o dos sesiones de or two college application bootcamps which turned out entrenamiento para las solicitudes a las universidades, to be extremely helpful and important last year, Email las cuales fueron extremadamente útiles e importantes el [email protected] or [email protected], if you have año pasado. Si tienes algunas preguntas o dudas Email [email protected] o [email protected]. any questions or concerns. Gracias a todos por un maravilloso año. Thank you everyone for a great year. Felicidades a la Clase del 2017! Congratulations to the Class of 2017!

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News form Adolescent Counseling Services Parenting Teens: Some Secrets to Staying (Somewhat) Sane The cuteness is gone, and so is the desire to hold your hand on the way to school and cuddle up at bedtime. The kid who used to look to you for answers for anything from “Why does the earth spin?” to “Why do I have to brush my teeth?” has been exchanged with a passionate person, a lawyer-to- be, who insists on arguing with everything you have to say. The little one who, once upon a time, came running to you crying in pain and needed you to blow kisses on a skinned knee has now disappeared behind a closed door, sharing their secret emotional pain and hurt with a sea of friends on social media. Parenting a teenager is not for the faint of heart. Yes, it brings lots of joy, but it also brings a load of worry, frustration, doubt, exhaustion, and sprinkled with grief that the special connection seems to have vanished. In order to find the energy to keep moving forward, hopefully even with a bit of sanity left, I have gathered secrets other parents have shared with me that I have found helpful. All the advice is centered around the basic assumption that we have to try to make sure our own emotional needs are met and that we have enough internal and external resources to sustain us during the challenging task of parenting. Take a Time-Out If you are lucky enough to have a partner who shares those same vibrant and vulnerable heart strings with your kids, make sure the two of you take some time-outs. Don’t just give time-outs, insist on taking them, as well. If at all possible, disappear from home for awhile, go to a park or a restaurant, then do your very best to connect with your partner as full human beings, not just parents. Make a conscious effort to leave the kids behind for a while and try to remember why you decided to join each other on this journey in the first place. Remember: there was a life before kids, just like there will be one after they grow up and move on. It’s important that you don’t lose touch with each other while parenting is in the foreground. If the kids sneak their way into your conversation, don’t let them monopolize your time together. Set a timer if necessary, then get back to business of rekindling the spark and spirit between the two of you. Make Time for Nourishing Friendships Whether you have a partner or not, make sure to find time for friendships. Friendships can nourish your soul and remind you that you are a lovable, decent human being, even if you are under attack of a teen who is finding you utterly embarrassing or plain stupid. When choosing which friends to spend time with, always consider who you can be real with. Watch out for those gatherings that have a tendency to turn into a competition centered around whose kid is more accomplished. Be with friends who you feel safe being real, open, and vulnerable around. If you are surrounded by friends who prefer to present as perfect parents, consider finding a therapist. We all need human connection and support from others to stay strong through these years. Practice Self-Care Apart from utilizing relationships with others to stay sane, you also need to take good care of yourself. Unfortunately self-care is one of those seemingly simple truths that can be close to impossible to follow. I remember meeting up with some girl friends when I was a mother and stepmother to four teens, my brain fried, my body burnt out, and seemingly running in incessant circles. They listened compassionately to my crazy stories, then told me very firmly I needed to take care of myself. It was a kind message, but it left me screaming in frustration. At that point in time, I could not possibly imagine being able to carve out even ten minutes of “me time”, so their well-meaning suggestions of gym membership and yoga classes sounded completely unrealistic. Years later, once I found my high-jacked brain, I was able to find ways of incorporating self-care that did not require the time I did not have. First of all, the concept of self-care is tricky. It is as if we have made societal rules about what is healthy and unhealthy. We all know the list: Working out, meditation, and journaling equals healthy, but drinking and binge-watching Netflix is unhealthy. What I’m here to tell you is that you need to take what you can get, so if you end up on the couch

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(Continued from page 8) catching up on the Bachelorette or Game of Thrones, don’t add guilt to the much-needed oasis you have created for yourself. Allow yourself to simply enjoy it, and if your inner critic is still making noise, try reframing binge-watching as this generation’s way of being absorbed in a good novel. Secondly, self-care often is associated with action, and as busy parents we are often stretched to the max. The thought of adding yet another activity can feel completely overwhelming. It’s important to remember that self-care is sometimes learning to say a big loud “No, thank you!” to doing something, whether that is helping with the latest PTA project or going to a social gathering. In addition, self-care is also very much about the quality of being. Walking from the parking lot to my office takes about five minutes, five minutes that can be spent fretting over all the many meetings I have to attend, or can be spent simply breathing, taking in the smell of rain and the sound of birds in the distance. When I remember to be present and relax into those small moments, I typically enter my work space much more calmly and mentally ready to take on my day. The same goes for getting ready for a difficult conversation with your teen. Notice the quality of your thoughts (we tend to have the worst case scenario playing in our minds), take a few deep breaths, and set positive, clear intentions to help your body and mind settle. Keep Everything in Perspective When all else fails, try to put your parenting experience in perspective. One of the better mantras Alcoholics Anonymous uses is, “This too shall pass.” And pass it will, indeed. Chances are pretty good that that your teen will grow up and even turn into a responsible adult, and yes, you might even find that they actually did listen to all the advice you planted on such stony grounds! This will happen even if you feel you made a parenting mistake or two, like giving them too short or too long a leash when it comes to friends and curfew, losing it and yelling a couple of times, or allowing them more screen time than your best friends have done. We all enter parenthood unprepared, we all stumble through the journey, and we all struggle and make mistakes when we are faced with unexpected challenges. There is no such thing as perfect parenting, so remember to forgive yourself along the way. There is, however, sane parenting, which requires that you reach out for support and do what you can to take care of yourself. So please do it, in a way that works for you, for not only will you benefit, but your teens will benefit too.

Bus News for Woodside students in Farm Hill Estates and Emerald Hills Exciting news!! There will be a bus to Woodside High School from Farm Hill! SamTrans has announced that in August they will begin a pilot Bus Route 78 down Farm Hill Boulevard to Woodside High School’s Alameda de las Pulgas pedestrian entrance to make first period classes with a return after dismissal. The pilot is currently scheduled to run from August 16th through December. If students fill the bus regularly, the pilot will be extended. SamTrans is still working out the details and in the coming months more information will be available through the website and at our 9th grade Arena Check-In on Saturday, August 12 from 9-noon.

Woodside High School Foundation Useful Websites (www.whsfoundation.org) Woodside High School (www.woodsidehs.org) for news, calendar, policies, activities and oppor- Woodside Athletic Boosters Organization tunities. (www.woodsideathletics.org) Twitter updates on Woodside High (http:// Woodside Drama Boosters twitter.com/WoodsideHS) (www.whsdramaboosters.com) Woodside World (www.woodsideworld.com) Multimedia Woodside Music Boosters (Group Web site: WHSBand- news source of WHS. [email protected]) Sequoia Union School District Woodside PTSA (www.woodsidehs-ptsa.org) (www.sequoiadistrict.org)

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WHS Business Technology Academy, Green Academy and STEM-Engineering Would Like to Thank Their Professional Volunteers Woodside’s small learning communities include the Business Technology Academy (BTA) and the Green Academy (GA). The students enrolled in these 3 year programs have unique opportunities to interact and get to know many professionals throughout the community and we appreciate the time and commitment those professionals have given to us. Here’s a quick glimpse at what was accomplished: Sophomores in each program participated in 2 symposiums during the school year. These one day events were designed to expose students to the myriad of careers in either the environmental field or in the area of technology. The days each begin with a keynote and then were divided up into 2 sessions: Career Round Tables - professionals spoke in a small group format about their career, educational background, gave a brief job description and offered the pros and cons of their field. Hot Topics - professionals spoke on different hot topics in the environmental field or gave insight into new technologies currently being developed in Silicon Valley. More than 40 professionals came to speak with students representing widespread industries from construction and the trades to marketing and software engineering. This is an introduction for students and paves the path for more in-depth professional communication the following year. Juniors in the BTA and GA as well as students enrolled in our STEM-Engineering class were paired one-to-one with 90+ professionals in the community. Our mentors are enthusiastic about their careers and take the time to share that passion with our students. The programs began in November and conclude in May, with 1-2 contacts each month. Highlights include:  Introductory and closing meetings with students in professional attire  Monthly emails to develop professional communication standards  Off campus job shadows allow students direct view into today’s various work environments  Resume development and mock interviews This photo features 3 of our mentors/mentees on the job shadow at Facebook: Thank you to all the professionals that have volunteered; you have inspired our students and strengthened our Woodside community and we can’t thank you enough! If you would like to learn more about these programs, please visit the WHS website and under Parents/ Community click on Volunteer Opportunities for Community Members or contact the Program Director, Faith Velschow, at [email protected].

Community Service Hours – Deadline for Turning in Forms Students who have submitted community service applications must turn in their supervisor’s reports and hours to AVP Porter’s office no later than the last day of Study Week. No forms will be accepted after Friday, June 2. Students who wish to earn community service over the summer, should get an application from Ms. Alvarez in the AVP Porter’s office before leaving school. Applications are also available on the Woodside High School website. Remember that all applications must be submitted prior to starting your community service in order to receive school credit.

Share the Road Please remember to watch for our students and staff who are biking to and from school. It is especially dangerous when students are being dropped off & picked up. Please help keep our bike riders safe and drive carefully!

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Highlights From Drama Boosters What a great year this has been for the Drama Department at Woodside High School. Here are the highlights that I will take away with me: Drama We were thoroughly entertained by 26 acts at the Talent Show. What talent; musical, Boosters magical, dancing, and dramatic talent! I was so impressed and so glad I was there! There was some anticipation as the Fall "Evening of Theater" came to stage in late November. A play based on an Oscar Wilde short story? And the cast and crew hit it out of the park (to borrow a baseball analogy)! "The Canterville Ghost" was a delightful comedy with great direction, acting and staging. I only wish there had been more than 2 showings! Then, we were all treated to a magnificent production of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes". The talent in this cast was across the board exceptional. The acting AND singing were a pleasure to receive and the set had me on the deck of a ship right along side the cast. And having the orchestra high and to the back of the stage was a directorial master stroke of genius. Thank you to Barry Woodruff, the entire Production Team, and the student actors and crew for providing us with another year of outstanding entertainment. AND we have one more opportunity to be entertained by this outstanding group of students. On Tuesday, May 23rd, at 7:00pm in the Performing Arts Center we will be treated to the all student produced, staged, costumed, and performed production. They will be presenting a one-act play by a known author and we will be treated to an original work by one of our own students. Come out to the PAC on May 23rd for your last chance to be entertained by the Woodside High School Drama Department.

Woodside Athletics Corner Congratulations to our Spring Sports teams that have more than 400 kids participating in track and field, swimming, badminton, lacrosse (boys and girls), baseball, golf and softball. We will definitely have some individuals qualifying for CCS competition in Boys Tennis, swimming, and track, but congrats to all our athletes that have continued to compete through a stormy Spring coupled with a campus under construction! We will celebrate Spring Sports on Thursday, May 18th at 7pm in the Performing Arts Center. Woodside is very pleased to announce the hiring of Jaymie Guillena to be our Cheer Coach! Jaymie has been active in the Redwood City cheer community for many years and worked this past year at Capuchino High School, she is looking forward to bringing a competitive cheer program to Woodside. Finally, a sincere thank you to ABO President Eric McCrystal who will be stepping down after two great years at the helm of the Wildcat Athletic Boosters. During his tenure the ABO raised more than $100,000 for our student- athletes and made contributions to every sport on campus. The ABO is always looking for new people to become involved, if you are interested in helping the ABO, please email me. You can support our teams and have a wonderful day of golfing by participating in the Wildcat Golf Tournament on Sunday, May 7th, all the registration information can be found on the ABO website: http://woodsideathletics.org/. For information on summer and fall programs for a variety of Woodside teams, visit the Woodside Athletic Department: http://www.woodsidehs.org/ATHLETICS/Athletic-Department/index.html Athletic registration on Sports Net for 2017-18 will begin on May 1st; please check the above link for all relevant information. Go ‘Cats! Chuck Velschow, AD [email protected]

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ABO Update Spring 2017 The spring term is flying by, finals loom, sports seasons are winding down, and the school year is rapidly drawing to a close. At this time we’d like to thank all the families who supported the ABO and Athletics at Woodside. Together we make our programs stronger and provide a great avenue for personal and social development for our children. First and foremost, we must acknowledge and thank Eric McCrystal, our outgoing ABO President. His efforts over the past two years have been epic, taking over and providing strong leadership to build the ABO and strength- en support for Athletics. We are all extremely grateful to Eric (and his wife Charmaine!). Never lacking yet another project he can tackle with “git-er done” energy, Eric’s swan song effort was to build an equipment shed built as part of upgrading of the Softball field. Eric worked with WHS administration (dogged them endlessly, might be a more apt description), sought and obtained donation of all supplies, and led construction. Shout out to Peninsula Building Materials, Harbor Ready Mix, Cal Shingle&Shake and the softball dads! Yet another amazing contribution from an endlessly energetic, positive, and visionary person!

Thankfully, Eric and his smile will still be around next year so, we aren’t rid of him yet! Financial Summary FY 15 Aug2016 – 24Apr2017 (Approximate amounts) Income ABO Un-restricted Donation Income $ 22.0k Team-Directed Donations $ 69.0k Major individual donations (also directed to specific sports) $ 8.0k Corporate Sponsors/Advertising (Field signs) $ 9.3k SpiritWear sales (gross, before COGs) $ 29.0k Football-Basketball tickets, program sponsors (net of costs) $ 15.5k Crab Feed Income (net of expenses) $ 7.0k Hit a Thon income (net of expenses) $ 9.0k Golf Tournament $ TBD Total $168.8k Expenses ABO Grants (for expenses) to Athletic Department and Teams ($ 54.8k) Team Directed Donations (Donations passed thru to team accounts) ($ 69.0k) COGS (Spirit wear, including resupply order for spring) ($ 20.3k) Office expenses (Bookkeeping, web software, Tax prep, other) ($ 10.0k) Bank charges (credit card transaction charges) ($ 1.9k) Athletics awards and gifts ($ 2.5k) Scholarships ($ 4.0k) Total ($166.8k) Current Bank Balance (Does not include Spirit Wear inventory assets) $ 61.3k highlights all the important information that parents should know for the week. If you are not receiving the update, (Continued on page 15) check your junk mail or promotions folder. You can add your name to the email list by subscribing at http://woodside

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(Continued from page 14) Comments This is our first year going to a team-specific requests and donations model. We believe it worked out very well for the AD and the teams. Every penny of Team-Specific donations is directly passed along, and response was good with about 40% of parents giving something to the cause. Timing the request to onset of each sport season was key. Also the ABO was able to grant almost $55k in additional funds toward requests made by the teams. Importantly, the ABO again provided the financ- ing to permit purchase of big ticket items with long lead times, ahead of any opportunity to fund raise for those needs. This ensured these items would be available to the teams once the season began. Please, visit the ABO website at www.woodsideathletics.org and REGISTER your family’s account. Most importantly, become involved and support your Athletes! One last thing, the ABO is currently looking for a Secretary for our 2017-18 school year. This job involves attending monthly meetings, taking minutes, and sharing them with the Board electronically. Please let us know if you’re interested! Thanks! [email protected] Thanks for a great year! The ABO Board

Music Highlights As our year draws to a close, the students are not yet done performing and playing. Woodside Music Groups, have Music just completed its Southern California tour during the end of Boosters April. Our journey took us to Monterey Bay Aquarium, Sierra High School, Placentia High School, and the students and chaperones enjoyed a day in Disneyland, before coming home. Now, our focus turns to our final performances in May and June. The Marching Band will be performing in the Woodside Day Parade, May 6, and the San Carlos Hometown Days Parade on May 20th, 2017. Our Music Program Spring Concert will be at the PAC on Thursday May 11, 2017, with all groups will be performing there. Our annual Music Program awards will be on Friday May 26, 2017, in the new gym. The students will also perform at Graduation. Please know that you can always check our Shutterfly account: www.whsmusicboosters.shutterfly.com for our most up to date calendar. For next year, information about Band Camp for 2017/2018, will be posted during the summer. The Woodside Music Boosters is a volunteer group of parents and community members who support all programs of the Music Program. If you are interested in participating or could give a few hours once a month to the program, please see the Shutterfly account for information.

Woodside World

Voice of the Wildcats The Woodside World is the multimedia news source of Woodside High School and its community, and is produced by the students in Woodside’s Digital Journalism class. Parents and community members, please visit woodsideworld.com and read today's news from a student's point of view and get the inside story on school events and attitudes. Show your support by "Liking" our page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WoodsideWorld and by following us on Twitter: @WoodsideWorld

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The Woodside High School Foundation is proud to join with education foundations from nearby local districts and schools to mark Stand up for Public Schools Day on May 10, 2017. Generous support of education foundations from families like yours together with local businesses and community members enable local public schools to continue providing a cutting-edge, high quality education for all our students—an education that empowers them for the future. While some improvements have been made, funding for California public schools is inadequate to meet the needs of our students. According to the Quality Counts 2016 Report comparing states, California earned a “D” in school funding and ranks 41st out of the 50 states when it comes to school finance and overall state grade. Education Foundations were established to help close this gap. The Woodside High School Foundation (WHSF) has been absolutely instrumental to the success of our school and our students. For 23 years, WHSF has raised the funds that bridge the gap between shrinking state funding and the true cost of providing an outstanding educational experience for our students. As a result, many of our students are attending classes with a lower student-to-teacher ratio, including AS and AP English and math. Class size reduction touches an impressive 64 classrooms, providing students with a personalized, encouraging classroom experience. Our students are also able to take advantage of a robust variety of elective courses, including Debate, Mobile Apps, and Entrepreneurship. And virtually all students benefit from increased academic support, including assistance at The Den, state-of-the-art equipment for our new science and technology programs, summer enrichment classes, and guidance from two College and Career Counselors. WHSF has grown and supported our school so that it remains among the best and highest achieving in the entire state of California. Woodside High School needs your help to keep going. Please make a donation today at www.whsfoundation.org as we continue to a build strong school together!

Let Us Hear from You Woodside’s PTSA publishes the Communicat to keep the parents informed regarding upcoming events, opportunities to be involved and to hear directly from school administrators. If you have any suggestions, comments, or items to include in the next Communicat, contact the editor at [email protected].

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Graduation Graduation is just around the corner. Here are a few important reminders to make this important celebration go smoothly. May 20 …Last day to serve detention. Students cannot participate in the graduation ceremony if they have fines or detentions. May 25 …Cap and gowns for graduation will be distributed out of D7 during lunch. June 2 .....Last day to complete Cyber High/APEX as well as last day to turn in community service hours June 7 …Clearance forms will be distributed to seniors in their Econ/Govt class the week of May 22. Seniors are required to turn in their clearance forms to guidance by 1:30 pm on this date. In order for a senior to be cleared, he/she will need all of the appropriate signatures as well as not have fines or be on the No Privileges list. Students who do not turn in their clearance forms will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony. June 8 … Graduation rehearsal will begin promptly at 8:30 am and is a MANDATORY practice for all seniors who wish to participate in the commencement ceremony. Please be in your assigned seat; seating charts will be posted at the back of the press box and on the tables on the field. Students will go through the full graduation practice. It is recommended to wear sunscreen and a hat if needed. Students who do not attend the full graduation practice will not be allowed to participate in the commencement ceremony-NO EXCEPTIONS! June 8 ...SENIOR SOCIAL-10:45 am-11:45 am. The Class of 2020 will host this event in the MUR, providing food and beverages for the seniors. This event is a nice time to sign yearbooks and say some final goodbyes. June 8 ...PARTICIPATION REHERSAL- 12:00 pm. All students who are participating in the graduation ceremony (speakers, name readers, and class officers) are to attend a MANDATORY rehearsal. This rehearsal will begin at 12:00 pm and last until everyone has completed rehearsing their appropriate part in the graduation ceremony. June 9 …GRADUATION is at 10 am on the football field. Graduates must be in assigned rooms by 9am. Graduation is an important celebration for students as well as their families. The ceremony is very important and Woodside would like everyone to enjoy this memorable day. To keep this day special, we ask that people do not bring air horns or noise makers. It is also suggested that people do not bring large balloon bouquets that can block someone else’s view of the ceremony. Parking will be limited. Families and guests are encouraged to car pool. Guests will be sitting on both sides of Bradley Field (home and visitor stands). Families are to make plans to meet up with their graduate in front of the I wing. Please remember that graduation gowns must be returned in order to get the diploma immediately following the graduation ceremony. For further information make sure to check out the Woodside High School website. Yearbook Yearbooks will arrive and be distributed to students at the end of May. Students who did not pre-order a yearbook may be able to purchase a 2017 yearbook for $100 when they are being distributed. Please note that there is only a LIMITED number of yearbooks available. Last year the yearbook staff sold out.

PTSA Weekly Update

Are you receiving your Weekly Update? Every Sunday evening the PTSA emails the “Woodside Weekly Update”. This weekly newsletter highlights all the important information that parents should know for the week. If you are not receiving the update, check your junk mail or promotions folder. You can add your name to the email list by subscribing at http://woodside -ptsa.org/communications/weekly-update/.

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Concessions Wrap up On behalf of the Class of 2018, we would like to thank all the parents and family members that came out to support their students for our year of concessions. We are still working toward our fundraising goal, but were able to share 40% of the proceeds with student leadership, who in turn were able to organize prom. Lei Sales Junior class will be selling flower & ribbon leis, roses, and stuffed bears that can be preordered for this year’s graduates. We will need help handing them out at graduation. Please contact Kathy Smith at [email protected] if you can help. 2018 Parent Social Save the date! Friday, June 2 6pm-9pm Come celebrate making it through Junior year! Details to follow. Please contact Naomi at [email protected] if you have questions or want to help. Holiday Boutique 2018 Mark your calendar for Saturday November 18, 10am-3pm. We will organize the Holiday Boutique and look forward to your enthusiasm and ideas making a success for all. Safe & Sober Grad Night Party We are in the planning phase of this amazing night for our kids. To support our efforts, we will be sending out a letter to ask for donations. Please consider making a donation to the Class of 2018. Ways to donate: Check made out to: Woodside High School PTSA – “Class of 2018” in memo line leave check in front office mail to Woodside High School, 199 Churchill Ave, Woodside, CA 94062 Not on our email list yet? Go to http://woodsidehs-ptsa.org, click on Class Parent Committees and get on that email list! Go Class of 2018!

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Let the caps fly and the celebrations begin… That’s right, it’s almost time for our seniors to move their tassels from one side to another and look to the future. Graduation is an exciting time! There is a lot of adventure to be had that awaits our soon-to-be high school graduate. It marks both an ending and a beginning; it’s warm memories of the past and big dreams for the future. CONGRATULATIONS to our Class of 2017!!! All of the hard work they have put in has paid off, and their reward lies ahead. It’s the time to celebrate this great achievement and milestone with family and friends! The Class of 2017 Graduation Party is almost here! It’s time to CELEBRATE!!! Grad Night 2017 tickets are on sale now for $75! Students need to save their spot for this epic night! Tickets will not be sold at the evening of the party. Grad Night, also known as Safe & Sober Grad Night, is a Woodside High School tradition for all graduating seniors. This all-night party is a once-in-a-lifetime experience where seniors get to celebrate with their class one LAST TIME. It’s a night they will remember for the rest of their life, and won’t want to miss! Woodside's Grad Night Party will be held the evening of Woodside’s graduation ceremony on Friday, June 9th, 2017. We have a great venue, and hours of amazing entertainment planned throughout the evening. For more information, to find order forms, parent release forms, and to purchase tickets, visit www.whsgradnight2017.com Order forms can also be found in room D7 or in the guidance office. For financial assistance with the purchase of tickets, please have your student visit the counseling office. The success of our Class of 2017 achievements rests heavily on the support and dedication of parent volunteers and our partnership with the 2017 student group. Over the past four years, our 2017 Parent Group has been busy organizing & hosting fundraising parent mixers, attending monthly Class of 2017 parent meetings, attending PTSA meetings as 2017 representatives, communicating information to our 2017 parents, running the annual Direct Donation Campaign for the Safe & Sober Grad Night Party, organizing a fundraising raffle, Class of 2017 Arena check-in representation, running all football & basketball game concessions during junior year, organizing the annual community-wide Rummage Sale, managing Graduation Lei sales, organizing desserts for last year’s Senior Awards Night, helping chaperone the 2016 Grad Night Party, managing the Annual Holiday Boutique, holding a school-wide tamale sale…and all management of the Safe & Sober Grad Night party: fundraising, researching & touring Grad Night Party venues, managing all grad party vendors, activities, planning and upcoming chaperoning of the Class of 2017 Grad Night Party. A HUGE thank you goes out to Joni Soderer, Laura Hovden, Kim Velez, Wendy Chavez and Jenn Peck for ALL their dedication and work for the Class of 2017 over these past four years! And to all those who gave of their time, energy, and money, the Class of 2017 Parent Group extends our gratitude. Thank you! Best wishes to our Class of 2017!!

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